Kennesaw State Presidential Search Committees Named

University System of Georgia Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith announced today the appointment of the campus committee that will be charged with assisting in the selection of a new president for Kennesaw State University.

A national search is being conducted to replace Dr. Betty L. Siegel, who recently announced that she is stepping down as of Jan. 2, after having served as president since 1981.

“We know this presidency will be an attractive post for many higher education leaders and we are looking forward to a very competitive and productive search process,” Chancellor Meredith said.

The search process will commence with the Presidential Search and Advisory Committee screening applicants and conducting on-campus interviews. This campus committee then will forward the credentials of five unranked candidates to a Special Regents’ Committee, which will be chaired by Regent Michael Coles and have as its members Regent Joe Frank Harris of Cartersville and Regent James R. Jolly of Dalton. The Special Regents’ Committee will decide which of the finalists to recommend to the full Board of Regents.

Mr. Joseph D. Meeks, dean of the College of the Arts, has been named to serve as chair of the Presidential Search and Advisory Committee. Additional faculty members selected to serve include: Mr. Peter Witte, chair of the Department of Music, and director of instrumental studies, College of the Arts; Dr. Jonathan VanGeest, associate professor, Department of Nursing, College of Health and Human Services; Dr. Ann Smith, professor of educational leadership, College of Education; Dr. Kenneth Gilliam, associate dean for undergraduate studies and professor of economics and finance, College of Business; Dr. Sarah Robbins, professor of English, College of Humanities and Social Sciences; Dr. Ben Setzer, professor of computer science, College of Science and Mathematics; and Dr. Christine Ziegler, professor of psychology and chair of the University Senate.

Ms. Suzy Millwood, a staff member in the Office of the Registrar, will represent the institution’s staff. Mr. Thomas Cotton, president of the KSU Student Government Association, will represent the student body. Kennesaw State University Foundation Chair Thomas Holder will represent the foundation. Mr. Steve Prather, president of the Kennesaw State University Alumni Association, will represent the university’s alumni.

Meredith also announced that the executive search firm Baker-Parker has been retained to assist in identifying qualified candidates.